As i sat patiently for the bus to get full so we can set off for work, a middle-aged man hopped unto the bus i was on and got seated on the seat right in front of me. Before he could lean backwards to rest his back on the seat, my eyes captured an inscription behind his Polo shirt. It read ” Let your gifts open your doors.”

My eyes opened wider as i entreated him to lean forward so i could take note of the inscription. It was at this point that the Lord inspired me to write this piece.

God bless you as you read, and i pray you are inspired some more unto higher heights.

Let your gift(s) open your doors

Many a time, from a microscopic observation, it appears that many people live with a certain pattern of thought which settles that there are some persons who are born to shine, but not necessarily everyone. This mindset compels these people to only live in expectation of great doors of opportunities to shine to be opened for them by people at all times.

This approach to life however is an erroneous one per God’s makeup details of man.

Right in the deep regions of every man are uniqueGifts, planted by God to serve as a Key to open great doors for one’s shining in various stages in life. “Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights… ” James 1:16-17 (GNT).

(Short exercise: think and reflect on any gift or innate ability God has given you, and write them down )

Allowing this truth to sink into one’s innermost being is the foundation. Moving further, an identification of the receipt of a gift from God isn’t really an end in itself. There is a further conscious and deliberate work to be carried out by the recipient. I call it the ‘nurturing stage’. “For this reason I remind you to keep alive the gift that God gave you…” 2 Tim 1:6 (GNT)

(Short exercise: Plan and schedule for times to give special attention to building up and mastering your gifts)

Mmm… well, after all these, then what next? I know of a lad called David, who from nowhere appeared before a great king called Saul, because he had mastered one of his gifts . Graduating from an entertaining stage of his gift, he arrived at a stage of deliverance. That’s wonderful! From entertaining sheep and birds to bringing deliverance to a Great King! Same gift!“Do you see a man diligent and skillful in his business? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men”. Prov 22:29 (AMP)

Sometimes, it might even appear as though your unique abilities are not relevant to the immediate people around you. Fret not! It simply means your gifts are tailored for some other people you are yet to encounter. Yours is not to determine which group of persons your gifts are indispensable to. Just keep striving for mastery. Master your field. A need will call for your gifts at the set time.

Young David’s diligence in mastering and nurturing his ‘tiny’ gift of playing the harp and singing along in the bush became that key which opened the great door into the palace, where he shone beyond his own expectation. If you have heard or read about the account of King David, you would bear witness that his first encounter into the room of ‘royalty’ was the opening of the palace gates by the key of his gift.

I think i need to ‘step-up’ my gifts. Sure you think so too.

Friend, you were born with a key in hand at least. Your [God-given] gifts are keys to many gracious doors for your shining. Let us not stand behind great closed doors lamenting for access while we have the keys hidden in us. Reach out for that key, sharpen and smoothen it if it has become rough, straighten it a little if it turned crooked over the passage of time in dormancy, and open those doors, going forth to shine, even as your creator desires you to.